Atmos Rewards Ascent assessment: For Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways flyers

Metro Loud
14 Min Read


The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Credit score Card is an entry-level card possibility within the Atmos Rewards ecosystem.

The cardboard earns useful Atmos Rewards factors that can be utilized to e book free flights with Alaska Airways, Hawaiian Airways and different Oneworld companions, equivalent to American Airways, Japan Airways and Qantas. This card packs a punch and affords stable perks when flying with both airline, together with a free checked bag and most well-liked boarding.

Even in case you do not ceaselessly fly on Alaska or Hawaiian, there are lots of causes for award-savvy vacationers to think about including this cobranded card to their wallets. Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card score relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

Atmos Rewards Ascent: The fundamentals

The Atmos Rewards Ascent is a cobranded airline card inside Atmos Rewards, the joint loyalty program between Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways.

For a $95 annual price, the cardboard earns useful Atmos Rewards factors and gives a couple of added advantages.

Among the greatest methods to maximise these factors embrace redeeming for premium cabins with Oneworld companions, equivalent to Cathay Pacific or Fiji Airways. Nevertheless, Atmos Rewards factors are additionally stable for short-haul home routes on Alaska Airways or American Airways.

ALASKA AIRLINES

One of many card’s standout perks is its annual $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and charges from $23), which is earned upon every account anniversary so long as you have spent $6,000 or extra throughout the prior anniversary 12 months.

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Usually, it is a stable possibility for Alaska or Hawaiian frequent flyers, due to the perks they will get pleasure from when flying with both airline, equivalent to free checked baggage and most well-liked boarding.

Nevertheless, in case you’re on the lookout for extra premium perks, equivalent to lounge entry, this card will not meet your wants.

Associated: Which bank card do you have to use for Alaska Airways flights?

Atmos Rewards Ascent professionals and cons

Execs Cons
  • Free checked bag
  • Inflight low cost
  • Most well-liked boarding
  • Worthwhile factors

  • Fees an annual price
  • No lounge entry

Atmos Rewards Ascent advantages

The Atmos Rewards Ascent affords fewer added advantages in comparison with different cobranded airline playing cards. Nevertheless, for a $95 annual price, you may nonetheless anticipate a couple of perks.

Perks when flying Alaska Airways or Hawaiian Airways

Cardholders obtain one piece of free checked baggage for themselves and as much as six different passengers on the identical reservation when flying Alaska or Hawaiian and paying with the Atmos Rewards Ascent. This protects $35 per individual every manner for checked baggage, which is a major financial savings in case you plan to fly with both airline ceaselessly.

Cardholders additionally get most well-liked boarding on Alaska and Hawaiian, and so they’ll obtain 20% again on Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways inflight purchases once they use the cardboard.

An Alaska Airlines plane taxis at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). AARONP BAUER GRIFFIN/GC IMAGES VIA GETTY IMAGES
An Alaska Airways aircraft taxis at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX). AARONP BAUER GRIFFIN/GC IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

When you’re working towards Atmos Rewards standing, you may earn through the use of the cardboard. You’ll be able to anticipate to earn 1 standing level for each $3 spent (as much as a most of 30,000 factors per 12 months by the top of 2025). From 2026, there is not any cap on standing factors you may earn by spending.

Companion Fare

As talked about above, top-of-the-line advantages of the Atmos Rewards Ascent is the $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and charges from $23). This may be unlocked after spending $6,000 or extra on the cardboard throughout the prior anniversary 12 months.

You may get worth from this perk so long as you fly Alaska Airways with a good friend or member of the family on paid fares at the very least every year.

Carly Helfand, TPG’s director of factors, miles and bank card content material, used the Ascent’s Companion Fare to take a last-minute journey to Chicago together with her husband. The round-trip flights from Portland Worldwide Airport (PDX) to Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) price $542.60 per individual, however she paid $679.63 for each tickets with the Companion Fare.

Alaska Lounge+ membership low cost

Whereas the Atmos Rewards Ascent does not present outright lounge entry, you may get $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge+ membership while you pay with this card. A membership prices $795 per 12 months.

Alaska's SEA-NRT inaugural flight
Alaska Lounge entrance on the North Concourse at Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

This profit alone offsets the cardboard’s $95 annual price. Nevertheless, given how costly membership is, this perk is not as helpful except you had been already going to pay for an Alaska Lounge+ membership.

Different issues

It is price noting that this card does not present fundamental journey protections equivalent to baggage delay insurance coverage, misplaced baggage insurance coverage, buy safety and journey cancellation/interruption protection. If these perks are necessary to you, you might wish to think about an alternate possibility.

Lastly, this can be a good card to take overseas because it does not cost overseas transaction charges.

Associated: The 4 greatest airline bank cards with annual charges underneath $100

Find out how to earn and use Atmos Rewards factors

The Atmos Rewards Ascent earns Atmos Rewards factors on purchases. These factors are sometimes greatest used for flight purchases. Let’s dive into what to know.

Incomes Atmos Rewards factors

With this card, you will earn:

  • 3 factors per greenback spent on eligible Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways purchases
  • 2 factors per greenback spent on cable, at electrical automobile charging and gasoline stations, on native transit and ride-hailing companies, and on choose streaming companies
  • 1 level per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases

Plus, cardholders with an eligible Financial institution of America account may even obtain a ten% bonus on all factors earned.

Electric car charging station
PHONLAMAIPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

TPG’s December 2025 valuations estimate Atmos Rewards factors are price 1.45 cents apiece.

This card might not be the best choice for spending classes exterior of Alaska and Hawaiian purchases. Nevertheless, in case you’re all-in on incomes Atmos Rewards factors, swiping this card turns into extra enticing.

Redeeming Atmos Rewards factors

Atmos Rewards gives stellar redemption charges on home journey. Quick-haul financial system tickets begin at simply 4,500 factors one-way.

Considered one of my favourite methods to redeem Atmos Rewards factors is to e book short-haul American Airways flights, equivalent to Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT) to Louisville Muhammad Ali Worldwide Airport (SDF) in Kentucky, at this 4,500 factors price.

It is nonetheless element to redeem for longer home flights, as a flight from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) would price simply 12,500 factors for a one-way financial system ticket.

Hawaiian Airlines Longest Route
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Premium cabins can begin as little as 15,000 factors one-way on shorter flights and 30,000 factors on longer U.S. routes. For journeys to Hawaii, these awards sometimes begin at 15,000 factors every manner in financial system and 40,000 factors every manner in top notch.

Atmos Rewards is a part of the Oneworld alliance, which suggests you may e book accomplice flights with airways equivalent to British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas.

TPG Director of Journey Content material Eric Rosen’s favourite methods to maximise Atmos Rewards redemptions embrace reserving Cathay Pacific or Japan Airways enterprise class from the U.S. to Asia for 75,000 factors one-way and Fiji Airways enterprise class from the U.S. to Fiji for 75,000 factors one-way.

Associated: 10 greatest methods to redeem 100,000 Alaska Airways Atmos Rewards factors

The place the Atmos Rewards Ascent falls brief

Whereas there are a number of professionals to holding the $95-annual-fee Atmos Rewards Ascent, there are a few explanation why you might not wish to apply.

  • The cardboard doesn’t embrace journey protections.
  • The cardboard’s incomes charges aren’t exceptionally excessive, and lots of different journey playing cards present a greater return to your spending.
  • It’s a must to spend $6,000 on the cardboard in an account anniversary 12 months to earn the Companion Fare.
  • You could fly on Alaska Airways or Hawaiian Airways to obtain a free checked bag or most well-liked boarding.

Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Atmos Rewards Summit

If you’re able to go all-in on Atmos Rewards, think about its premium sibling: the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit score Card.

For a better $395 annual price, the cardboard gives Alaska Lounge passes, a 25,000-point World Companion Award yearly and a excessive incomes price on overseas purchases.

Associated: Find out how to attain Alaska Airways elite standing with simply 1 card

Is the Atmos Rewards Ascent price it?

The Atmos Rewards Ascent is an effective way to gather useful Atmos Rewards factors. When you worth that foreign money extremely, this card is a improbable start line.

Alaska Airlines aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
Alaska Airways plane at Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

Nevertheless, in case you discover the incomes charges restrictive and the advantages underwhelming, another choice could also be your best option.

Associated: Atmos Rewards Ascent vs. Enterprise: Which $95 Alaska-Hawaiian card do you have to get?

When to use for the Atmos Rewards Ascent

New Atmos Rewards Ascent cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus factors and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and charges from $23) after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 90 days from account opening, plus obtain a 30% international flight low cost code for a qualifying future flight after opening their new account.

TPG’s valuations deem the factors on this supply to be price $870.

This card’s supply historical past is proscribed, as we have solely seen this bonus and its launch bonus. However with that in thoughts, we typically suggest making use of when the bonus gives greater than 60,000 factors and features a Companion Fare.

Associated: Final-minute methods for incomes Alaska Airways Atmos Rewards elite standing

Different playing cards to think about if you do not need the Atmos Rewards Ascent

When you aren’t sure concerning the Atmos Rewards Ascent, listed here are some options price contemplating:

For added choices, take a look at our full checklist of the perfect journey bank cards.

Backside line

Atmos Rewards factors you will earn on the Atmos Rewards Ascent unlock improbable redemption charges on home flights, in addition to worldwide routes by its Oneworld companions.

Award-savvy vacationers know you do not have to be an Alaska Airways or Hawaiian Airways loyalist to benefit from the rewards you earn with this card. Nevertheless, a few of the card’s perks might go unused in case you do not at the very least sometimes fly with one among its main airways.

Take into account what issues most to you in alternate for a $95 annual price, and you will be in your technique to hitting the skies.


Apply right here: Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Credit score Card


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